San Francisco

North Beach Food Tour

Explore the Italian restaurant scene and former Barbary Coast - known as the most notorious neighborhood in America during the Gold Rush!

Our North Beach Food Tour Featured In

Experience SF’s Little Italy with Incredible Italian Cuisine & Rich History

Join us on our San Francisco North Beach Food Tour as we explore the Italian restaurant scene and former Barbary Coast – known as the most notorious neighborhood in America during the Gold Rush! Let’s eat and drink through this cultural neighborhood!

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1-100+ Guests
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From $115 Per Person
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3 Hours
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3-4 Restaurants
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4 Courses & 3 Beverage Pairings (Optional)
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Public or Private Tour

How it Works

What’s Included

  • 3-Hour Walking Tour (approximately 1 mile) 
  • Expertly Trained Avital Guide 
  • 4-Course Meal with Appetizers, Entree, and Dessert 
  • 3 Alcoholic Beverage Pairings (optional upgrade) 
  • Delightful Sprinkling of Culinary Stories and History
  • Team Building Games (complimentary, optional upgrade)

Example Dishes & Drinks

Our North Beach Food Tour includes 4-courses – two appetizers, one entree, and one dessert – with a sprinkling of culinary history and stories in between. Plus an upgrade option to include 3 carefully curated beverage pairings. We focus on quality over quantity, but we promise you won’t leave hungry! Here are some possible tastings to satiate your curiosity.

pot of cioppino seafood stew from sotto mare

Famous tomato-based seafood stew, Cioppino, invented in SF by Italian Fisherman

Tommaso’s spinach pizza at table

Authentic Italian wood-fired spinach parmesan pizza from the oldest pizza oven on the West Coast – Voted No. 3 Best Pizza in the US by People Magazine’s Pizza Search

croquettes in sauce on plate served at 15 Romolo

Taste yummy croquettes in an alleyway trendy cocktail den featured in the New York Times

cannoli sitting on plate in front of stack of books

Hand-filled authentic cannoli at a historic Italian bookshop turned cafe

pimms cup cocktail sitting on table

Modern Day Pisco Punch, a nod to the historical invented during the SF Gold-Rush cocktail

Gnocchi alla Gorganzola at Piazza pellegrini on a north beach food tour

Hearty and cheesy Gnocchi alla Gorganzola at old-time local’s favorite Italian Restaurant

ice cream cone with three different types of gelato

A duo of made-from-scratch Gelato tastes Creme Fraiche and Dulce De Leche from the SF Chronicle 12 best 🍦 shops

pisco punch cocktail sitting on table

Kipling Button Punch cocktail, a cousin of the Pisco Punch, invented in North Beach

woman holding glass of wine

Glass of Tommaso’s private-label syrah

Example Restaurants

We’ll visit 3-4 of the best restaurants in San Francisco, featuring hot spots (Avital guests skip the line) and hidden gems. All of our restaurants not only serve outstanding food and drinks, but they also have a rich story to discover and numerous awards (think James Beard Nominees, Michelin Plate, and Eater’s Top 38).

Sotto Mare Restaurant Interior in San Francisco North Beach
Sotto Mare

Eater Essentials 38 Restaurant Known for Top Quality Seafood and Cioppino

Tommaso's Restaurant Exterior
Tommaso’s

Historic 1935 Restaurant known for Oldest Pizza oven on the West Coast — also voted #3 Top Pizzeria in the US and inducted into Pizza Hall of Fame

Comstock Saloon restaurant interior in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood
Comstock Saloon

Historic restaurant loved by Anthony Bourdain with meticulously crafted cocktails, live jazz music, and vintage-inspired Barbary Coast era decor

California Fish Market Restaurant Interior
California Fish Market

Contemporary fresh caught seafood restaurant from well-regarded North Beach Restauranteur Francesco Corvucci

Exterior of Piazza Pellegrini Restaurant in North Beach
Piazza Pellegrini

Authentic Italian Eatery known for being a local’s favorite reminiscent of Italian piazzas with outdoor dining

a cavalli cafe exterior250x167
A. Cavalli

Historic Italian Bookstore turned cafe for fresh stuffed ricotta cannoli

Lush Gelato North Beach Shop interior on a north beach food tour
Lush Gelato

San Francisco chronicle’s Top 12 Ice Cream Shops featuring made-from-scratch gelato with rotating daily flavors

Osmanthus Dim Sum Lounge Restaurant Interior in North Beach
Osmanthus Dim Sum Lounge

One of TimeOut San Francisco’s top Dim Sum Restaurants on the border between Chinatown and North Beach

china-live-restaurant-interior
China Live

Modern Chinese Restaurant awarded by Eater as Restaurant of the Year

Piccolo forno Restaurant interior in San Francisco's North Beach Neighborhood
Piccolo Forno

Modern Italian Restaurant known for pizzas and delightful pastas

I planned the North Beach food tour as a company outing and we all LOVED it!

Our guide was Ben and he was extremely knowledgeable, easy going, prompt, and professional. He kept us on our timeline and constantly made sure everyone had everything they needed or wanted. We got to go to 4 restaurants in North Beach/China Town that I had never been to before and got a solid amount of food and a drink at each. It was a wonderful time and I highly recommend it to anyone!

 

Natalie G. via Google
North Beach Food Tour

Where is it?

Original Joe’s

601 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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Sotto Mare

552 Green St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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Comstock Saloon

155 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

This is a description of the location View on Google Maps ⧉
Tommaso’s Ristorante Italiano

1042 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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15 Romolo

15 Romolo Pl, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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Cavalli Cafe

1441 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

View on Google Maps ⧉
China Live

644 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

View on Google Maps ⧉
Barbara Pinseria & Cocktail Bar

431 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

View on Google Maps ⧉
California Fish Market Restaurant

550 Green St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

View on Google Maps ⧉

Our start location varies but is always within a 3-block walk from Washington Square Park (10 minute walk from Downtown San Francisco). You’ll receive your exact meeting location after booking.

Run of Show

avital guide holding sign to start sf food tour
1: Meet Expert Avital Guide & Introduction

Guests meet Avital Guide at pre-determined location. Kick off the tour with fun introductions!

group of people seated at table during food tour
2: 1st Restaurant for Appetizer & Optional Beverage Pairing

Arrive at the first neighborhood restaurant and sink your teeth into a delicious appetizer with a carefully curated alcoholic (or non-alcoholic if you prefer) beverage pairing.

group of people visiting iconic sf landmark during food tour
3: Visit Iconic Landmark

Head towards your next restaurant destination, but on the way discover unique murals, historic statues, or hidden curiosities with rich commentary from your Avital Guide.

women sitting and eating during sf food tour
4: 2nd Restaurant for Appetizer & Optional Beverage Pairing

Enjoy your second small plate appetizer with another delicious beverage pairing as you hear stories about the restaurant, culinary scene, and the people who make it all possible.

restaurant owner telling neighborhood story during food tour
5: Discover Neighborhood Story

As you walk to your 3rd restaurant destination you’ll continue your journey through the neighborhood with more awesome storytelling and fun facts.

group sitting and drinking cocktails during sf food tour
6: 3rd (or 4th) Restaurant for Entree, Dessert & Optional Beverage Pairing

Indulge in your main entree course with another incredible beverage pairing as you chat, enjoy, and connect with your fellow diners.

Then enjoy a scrumptious sweet treat for your final tasting. Your Avital Guide will wrap up the tour, answer any final questions, and can recommend other awesome places to visit next time!

The Essentials

Availability

Private tours are available any day of the week, at any time! Public tours are available on Saturdays from 3pm-6pm PT.

Distance

The North Beach Food Tour is a flat route with 2 slight hills, approximately 1 mile. 

Group Size

Private tours don’t have a minimum or maximum number of people — choose your group size! Public tours have a 4-person minimum and a 12-person maximum. If the minimum number of guests is not reached, we will contact you to reschedule onto another time or date, or offer a refund.

Alcohol

Guests over 21 years can add the alcohol pairing upgrade which includes 3 carefully curated drinks.

Gratuity

For private events, gratuity is included in your package price! For public tours, gratuities are not included. 15%-20% is customary in the tourism industry. That’s about $20 per person.

Lead Time

For private tours, we can accommodate rush bookings as well as advance bookings so email us [email protected] or submit booking form and we’ll get right back to you. Our public tours sell out fast so we recommend purchasing your tickets at least 2 weeks in advance.

Private or Public

You can experience North Beach via a public food tour or you can book a private experience just for your group.

Private Tour

A private experience, just for your group. Great for team building, client entertainment, birthday parties, and large groups.

  • Request Your Preferred Day & Time
  • Any Group Size
  • Private Avital Guide For Your Group
  • Customize Your Package
Public Tour

Join other foodies on this regularly-scheduled experience open to the public. Great for couples, solo travelers, and small groups.

  • Pre-Scheduled Tours
  • Purchase 1-5 Tickets
  • Join Other Foodies (Capped at 12 Guests)
  • Prix Fixe Menu with Optional Beverages

“Best food tour I’ve ever gone on.”

Best food tour I’ve ever gone on. I reserved the tour via “GetYourGuide.” Nikki was the best tour guide, she made the tour. I loved the stories about North Beach, the foods, the ethic groups, and any other info I wanted. My first time in SF was so memorable and I plan to return and book the Mission food tour.

 

Aziza M. via Google
North Beach Food Tour

Upgrades & Add-ons

group toasting pisco punch cocktails during north beach food tour
Add 3 Alcoholic Beverage Pairings
$35 / Person

Curated cocktails, beer, or wine enhance your dining experience.

waffle sandwich with fried chicken and coleslaw
Add More Food for Heartier Meal
$30 / Person

Perfect for dinner-time tours. Available on private tours only.

man holding up card during team building game
Team Building Games
Complimentary

Booking this tour for a team building activity? Add 1-2 of our quirky-and-classy games for added fun and connection. In between courses, your Avital Guide will lead your team through fun and interactive team building games. Games last about 10-15 minutes each.

Dietary Restrictions

One of our core values is #BreatheCuriosity. We enjoy introducing you to new foods and old favorites in new ways. We very much encourage guests to be adventurous and try something new – we’ve even had an 80-year old man try his first oyster with us! Thus, while we love the diverse ways our guests choose to eat, we can accommodate some restrictions on public tours and many restrictions and preferences on private tours. You will be asked for your dietary restrictions during your booking process.

If you are unsure if we can accommodate your restriction, please email us at [email protected]. Please note that this tour may include nuts, dairy, seafood, spicy food, and pork. We can accommodate the following on public tours:

  • Vegetarian
  • Pescatarian
  • Gluten-free
  • Pregnant Guests
  • No Pork
  • No Seafood

Why Choose Avital for Your North Beach Food Tour?

  • Expertly Guided: Our North Beach Food Tour is led by a trained, expert Avital Guide. You can sit back and enjoy as your host takes care of all the logistics with rich storytelling and group engagement along the way.
  • VIP Experience: No waiting in lines and each course is served seated at a reserved table. Tours can be an intimate, small-group experience yet still have that same VIP feeling for large groups.
  • Experienced Team: A full support team to ensure a turnkey booking and seamless experience from start to finish.
  • Dietary Restriction Friendly: We understand dietary restrictions and want everyone to leave feeling cared for and full! We’ll ask for your restrictions after booking.
  • Taste The Best: Instead of visiting a whole bunch of average places with tiny toothpick bites, we visit 3 incredible restaurants that not only serve steller food and drinks, but are passionate about storytelling and the guest experience.
SF Food Tour FAQs

How to Book Your Group Event

booking step number 1

1: Explore Packages

Download the PDF proposal to view packages and pricing for each experience. Still have questions? Schedule a call with your Culinary Curator.

 

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2: Start Your Booking

Submit your event details to get started. Upon submission, you’ll also have the option to make an initial deposit to reserve your date right away.

 

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3: Finalize Details

A real human will be in touch to finalize your event details, like confirming your package, how to submit request for dietary or alcohol accommodations, and when your final headcount is due.

Psst! Looking to join a public tour? You can buy tickets here!

Start Private Booking